This weekend in Old Town Alexandria comes with a built-in reason to wander: Alexandria Days 2026 runs September 18–20, turning the neighborhood's independent boutiques, galleries, and local shops into a city-wide passport adventure. Whether you're a regular who wants to know what's new or a first-time visitor deciding how to fill a Saturday, here's your honest, practical guide to the best of the weekend — morning through evening, Friday to Sunday.
What Is Alexandria Days — and Why It's Worth Your Time This Weekend in Old Town Alexandria
Alexandria Days is Old Town's annual celebration of its independent retail soul. Participating shops, boutiques, and galleries offer special deals, in-store events, and exclusive items across the weekend. The format is simple and genuinely fun: pick up a printed map and passport from a participating location, get it stamped as you explore, and discover blocks you might never have wandered into otherwise.
According to Alexandria Living Magazine, the 2026 edition runs all three days — Friday the 18th through Sunday the 20th. Store hours vary from shop to shop, so confirm exact hours and your nearest passport pickup spot with participating venues or check the Old Town Alexandria Shopping Guide for an overview of the boutique landscape. This is the kind of event that rewards slow walking: budget a few hours, start on King Street, and let the side streets surprise you.
Saturday Morning: Farmers' Market, Then the Neighborhood
Start Saturday the way Old Town starts every Saturday — at the Old Town Farmers' Market. Since January 10, 2026, the market has temporarily relocated to the 100 block of North Royal Street and the Tavern Square courtyard, just across the street from its historic Market Square home while City Hall undergoes renovation. Hours are 7 a.m. to noon, year-round, rain or shine. September is peak-season abundance: expect late-summer tomatoes, sweet peppers, local honey, fresh-cut flowers, and the first hints of apple and pear.
Grab a coffee from one of the market vendors and settle in before the boutique crowds arrive. From there, you're already steps away from the Alexandria Days passport route — a natural segue into the shopping portion of your morning.
All Weekend: Torpedo Factory Art Center
The Torpedo Factory Art Center on the waterfront is one of the most reliable anchors any Old Town weekend has. More than 150 working artists keep their studios here, and visitors are welcome to watch painters, printmakers, sculptors, and jewelers at work. There's no admission charge to walk the building, making it one of the genuinely free things to do in Old Town Alexandria that delivers every single time. Plan at least an hour — it's easy to lose track of time watching a ceramicist throw a pot or a glassworker finish a piece. The Torpedo Factory is open all three days this weekend; confirm current hours directly with the venue before you go.
The Waterfront: Best on a September Afternoon
September is arguably the finest month to be on the Old Town waterfront. The punishing humidity of July and August has broken, afternoons settle into the low-to-mid 70s, and the Potomac light in the late afternoon is genuinely beautiful. Founders Park and Waterfront Park offer easy spots to sit, watch the river traffic, and decompress between activities. If you want to get on the water, check with local operators near the waterfront about kayak or paddleboard availability — confirm current rental hours directly, as schedules shift with the season.
The stretch from the Torpedo Factory south along the boardwalk to Waterfront Park is flat, stroller-friendly, and almost entirely car-free: a 20-minute walk or a slow hour depending on how many times you stop to look at the river. If you're planning a full Old Town Alexandria day trip, this waterfront stretch is essential.
Where to Eat This Weekend
An Alexandria Days weekend means extra foot traffic on King Street, so a little planning goes a long way at the table. Here's a quick map of the weekend by meal:
- Saturday breakfast / coffee: Grab something at or near the farmers' market on North Royal Street before the shops open. Several coffee spots on King Street are open early.
- Saturday lunch: King Street's restaurant row has options at every price point — casual counter spots for a quick break from shopping, or sit-down dining if you want to linger. Browse the full Old Town dining guide to match your mood and budget before you go.
- Friday and Saturday evening: Waterfront patios fill up on warm September nights — book ahead if you want a table with a Potomac view. Upper King Street (north of the Metro) tends to be a little quieter and more local in feel after 8 p.m.
- Sunday brunch: Old Town does Sunday brunch as well as any neighborhood in the region. Most King Street restaurants that serve brunch open between 10 and 11 a.m. and run their menus into early afternoon — a perfect pairing with a final passport-stamp walk before Alexandria Days wraps up. See our guide to the best brunch in Old Town Alexandria for specific spots and what they do well.
If you're after a drink before or after dinner, King Street's bar scene ranges from historic taverns to craft cocktail spots. Our guide to the best bars in Old Town Alexandria has the full rundown by vibe.
Sunday: Don't Pack Up Too Early
Sunday is worth protecting. Alexandria Days runs through the 20th, so boutiques that participated Friday and Saturday are open for a final day — a good opportunity to revisit anything you noticed but didn't buy. The Torpedo Factory studios are open as well. If the weather cooperates (and mid-September usually does), the waterfront on a Sunday afternoon is as good as Old Town gets: fewer tour groups, locals reclaiming their neighborhood, and a relaxed pace that's hard to find on a Saturday. End the weekend with a walk down to the water, watch the sun drop toward Virginia across the river, and remember why people make a point of coming back here.
Practical Notes for the Weekend
Parking on Alexandria Days weekends fills faster than a typical Saturday, especially street spots on and near King Street. The city's garages off King Street and near the waterfront are your best bet — see the Plan Your Visit guide for garage locations, hours, and current rates. The King Street–Old Town Metro station sits about 12 blocks from King and Washington Streets and about 17 blocks from the waterfront — a pleasant walk straight down King Street — and the free King Street Trolley runs between the Metro and the waterfront (confirm current operating schedule with DASH). If you're coming with a dog, the waterfront parks and most of the outdoor portions of the Alexandria Days route are dog-friendly — just keep the leash on in busy areas.
If you're reading this after the weekend has passed, check out what was happening the prior weekend in Old Town Alexandria (September 11–13) or browse the best events in Alexandria VA this month for what's coming up next. The evergreen guide to things to do in Old Town Alexandria covers all the recurring anchors — waterfront, Torpedo Factory, King Street, the farmers' market — that make this neighborhood worth visiting on any weekend of the year. See you out there.